Brazil parliamentary inquiry into betting industry triggered in Senate

The support of thirty Brazilian senators has triggered the launch a parliamentary inquiry (CPI) into the influence of online gaming on the budget of families.

As reported by Agência Senado, the CPI will analyse potential money laundering and the role of Brazilian influencers on the betting industry.

Eleven full members and seven alternates will make up the CPI, which will have up to 130 days to present its findings.

It will have a budget of BRL110,000 (£15,205).

The request for an inquiry was brought by Senator Soraya Thronicke, who was supported by the government leader in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues.

Rodrigues claimed in the session that online gambling can present an economic and health-related problem for Brazilians.

He called for the CPI to inspire a debate on gambling advertising in Brazil.

The CPI comes as Brazil gears up to open its regulated online gaming market – encompassing online casino and betting – on January 1.

Eighty-nine operators have finalised their preparations and are being allowed to continue their operations in the lead-up to the regulation going live.

The Brazilian government is now calling on players to withdraw funds from the platforms of operators who are not part of the new regulations, ahead of those sites being blocked.

A recent study on betting behaviour in Brazil found that just over 22 million people have placed sports bets in the country in the last 30 days.

Brazil’s finance minister, Fernando Haddad, recently revealed to CBN that the federal government will introduce four main areas of keeping sports betting under strict control, with advertising among them.